U.S. patent number 10,371,693 [Application Number 15/313,258] was granted by the patent office on 2019-08-06 for portable blood glucose measurement device.
This patent grant is currently assigned to I-SENS, INC.. The grantee listed for this patent is I-SENS, INC.. Invention is credited to Geun Sig Cha, Jin Won Lee, Hak hyun Nam, Chang Woo Ryu.
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United States Patent |
10,371,693 |
Lee , et al. |
August 6, 2019 |
Portable blood glucose measurement device
Abstract
A portable blood glucose measurement device is provided. The
device includes, in an externally exposed way, a temperature
measurement medium of which the temperature quickly changes
according to outside temperature changes provided on one side
surface of a case. The device further includes an infrared
temperature sensor. The device measures the temperature of the
temperature measurement medium with the infrared temperature sensor
in a noncontact manner, and calculates a blood glucose measurement
result by considering the measured temperature so as to accurately
reflect the outside temperature of an actual blood glucose
measuring environment. The temperature measurement medium can be
configured to sensitively respond to the outside temperature
independently from the case such that the temperature of the
temperature measurement medium, in accordance with the change in
outside temperature, quickly and accurately changes so as to
measure the temperature in a more accurate manner.
Inventors: |
Lee; Jin Won (Seoul,
KR), Ryu; Chang Woo (Seoul, KR), Cha; Geun
Sig (Seoul, KR), Nam; Hak hyun (Seoul,
KR) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
I-SENS, INC. |
Seoul |
N/A |
KR |
|
|
Assignee: |
I-SENS, INC. (Seoul,
KR)
|
Family
ID: |
54554322 |
Appl.
No.: |
15/313,258 |
Filed: |
May 22, 2015 |
PCT
Filed: |
May 22, 2015 |
PCT No.: |
PCT/KR2015/005207 |
371(c)(1),(2),(4) Date: |
November 22, 2016 |
PCT
Pub. No.: |
WO2015/178737 |
PCT
Pub. Date: |
November 26, 2015 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20170138929 A1 |
May 18, 2017 |
|
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
May 22, 2014 [KR] |
|
|
10-2014-0061595 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B
5/14532 (20130101); G01N 27/3274 (20130101); A61B
5/145 (20130101); G01N 25/00 (20130101); G01N
33/49 (20130101); G01J 5/10 (20130101); G01N
33/66 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G01N
25/00 (20060101); A61B 5/145 (20060101); G01N
27/327 (20060101); G01N 33/66 (20060101); G01N
33/49 (20060101); G01J 5/10 (20060101) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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|
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2007-010317 |
|
Jan 2007 |
|
JP |
|
2011-064597 |
|
Mar 2011 |
|
JP |
|
2012-506536 |
|
Mar 2012 |
|
JP |
|
10-2010-0032130 |
|
Mar 2010 |
|
KR |
|
WO-2010/048303 |
|
Apr 2010 |
|
WO |
|
Other References
EPO translation of JP2007010317. cited by examiner.
|
Primary Examiner: Caputo; Lisa M
Assistant Examiner: Ahmed; Nasir U.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Ladas & Parry, LLP
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A portable blood glucose measuring device comprising: a housing
having a strip inlet allowing a sensor strip having a blood sample
attached thereto to be input into an inner space of the housing,
wherein a through-hole is formed in the housing; a printed circuit
board disposed within the housing, wherein a blood glucose
measuring module configured to measure a blood glucose level by
inspecting the blood sampled attached to the sensor strip is
disposed on the printed circuit board; a temperature measuring
medium disposed at the through-hole formed in the housing; and an
infrared temperature sensor disposed within the housing to measure
a temperature of the temperature measuring medium, which is
disposed in the housing, exposed outside of the housing through the
through-hole formed in the outer surface of the housing, and spaced
apart from the infrared temperature sensor, in a contactless
manner, wherein the blood glucose measuring module produces a
result of measurement of the blood glucose level.
2. The portable blood glucose measuring device according to claim
1, wherein the temperature measuring medium is made of a material
having a relatively small specific heat.
3. The portable blood glucose measuring device according to claim
2, wherein the housing has a concave recess depressed in a
direction of the inner space thereof, the through-hole is formed in
a bottom of the concave recess, allowing the temperature measuring
medium to fitted thereinto, and the temperature measuring medium is
fitted into the through-hole, such that the temperature measuring
medium does not protrude from a side surface of the housing.
4. The portable blood glucose measuring device according to claim
3, wherein a plurality of fixing protrusions are formed on an inner
circumference of the through-hole to be spaced apart from each
other in a radial direction, and the temperature measuring medium
is fixedly held by the fixing protrusions.
5. The portable blood glucose measuring device according to claim
4, wherein the fixing protrusions are formed of an insulating
material.
6. The portable blood glucose measuring device according to claim
2, wherein the temperature measuring medium has a shape of a thin
plate.
7. The portable blood glucose measuring device according to claim
6, wherein the housing has a concave recess depressed in a
direction of the inner space thereof, the through-hole is formed in
a bottom of the concave recess, allowing the temperature measuring
medium to fitted thereinto, and the temperature measuring medium is
fitted into the through-hole, such that the temperature measuring
medium does not protrude from a side surface of the housing.
8. The portable blood glucose measuring device according to claim
7, wherein a plurality of fixing protrusions are formed on an inner
circumference of the through-hole to be spaced apart from each
other in a radial direction, and the temperature measuring medium
is fixedly held by the fixing protrusions.
9. The portable blood glucose measuring device according to claim
8, wherein the fixing protrusions are formed of an insulating
material.
10. The portable blood glucose measuring device according to claim
6, wherein the temperature measuring medium comprises a plurality
of embossed protrusions formed on an externally exposed
surface.
11. The portable blood glucose measuring device according to claim
10, wherein the housing has a concave recess depressed in a
direction of the inner space thereof, the through-hole is formed in
a bottom of the concave recess, allowing the temperature measuring
medium to fitted thereinto, and the temperature measuring medium is
fitted into the through-hole, such that the temperature measuring
medium does not protrude from a side surface of the housing.
12. The portable blood glucose measuring device according to claim
11, wherein a plurality of fixing protrusions are formed on an
inner circumference of the through-hole to be spaced apart from
each other in a radial direction, and the temperature measuring
medium is fixedly held by the fixing protrusions.
13. The portable blood glucose measuring device according to claim
12, wherein the fixing protrusions are formed of an insulating
material.
14. The portable blood glucose measuring device according to claim
1, wherein the housing has a concave recess depressed in a
direction of the inner space thereof, the through-hole is formed in
a bottom of the concave recess, allowing the temperature measuring
medium to fitted thereinto, and the temperature measuring medium is
fitted into the through-hole, such that the temperature measuring
medium does not protrude from a side surface of the housing.
15. The portable blood glucose measuring device according to claim
14, wherein a plurality of fixing protrusions are formed on an
inner circumference of the through-hole to be spaced apart from
each other in a radial direction, and the temperature measuring
medium is fixedly held by the fixing protrusions.
16. The portable blood glucose measuring device according to claim
15, wherein the fixing protrusions are formed of an insulating
material.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure relates to a portable blood glucose
measuring device. More particularly, the present disclosure relates
to a portable blood glucose measuring device including a
temperature measuring medium disposed on a surface of a housing
thereof, the temperature of the temperature measuring medium
changing rapidly, depending on changes in the outside temperature,
and an infrared (IR) temperature sensor measuring the temperature
of the temperature measuring medium in a contactless manner. The
portable blood glucose measuring device can produce a result of
measurement of a blood glucose level by considering the measured
temperature of the temperature measuring medium, so that the
temperature outside of the environment in which blood glucose is
actually measured can be accurately reflected, thereby improving
the accuracy of the result of measurement of the blood glucose
level. The temperature measuring medium is configured to
sensitively react to the outside temperature independently of a
housing, so that the temperature of the temperature measuring
medium rapidly and accurately changes, depending on changes in the
outside temperature, thereby being able to more accurately measure
the temperature and obtain a more accurate result of measurement of
a blood glucose level.
BACKGROUND ART
Diabetes is a chronic disease, common in modern people. In the
Republic of Korea, two million or more people, about 5% of the
total population, suffer from diabetes.
Diabetes is caused by the pancreas producing an entirely, or
relatively, insufficient amount of insulin due to a variety of
reasons, such as obesity, stress, poor eating habits, and the like,
so that blood glucose levels are absolutely high, instead of being
balanced.
Blood contains a certain concentration of glucose, from which the
cells of body tissues produce energy.
However, when glucose levels are higher than normal, glucose is not
stored appropriately in the liver or muscles, and excessive amounts
of glucose remain in the blood. Thus, patients with diabetes have
higher glucose levels than other people. Excessive amounts of
glucose are discharged in urine without being absorbed by body
tissues. Accordingly, the body tissues may malfunction, since the
body tissues may fail to have sufficient amounts of glucose that
are necessary for normal functioning.
Diabetes has subtle or no subjective symptoms in the early stages
of the disease. With the progression of the disease, however, the
classic symptoms of diabetes, such as polydipsia, polyphagia,
polyuria, weight loss, fatigue, itchy skin, and slow healing of
cuts, appear. Prolonged diabetes may cause complications, such as
blurred vision, high blood pressure, nephropathy, palsy,
periodontal diseases, muscle spasms, neuralgia, and gangrene.
To diagnose and manage diabetes so that complications do not arise,
systematic measurement of glucose levels must be carried out in
concert with systematic treatment.
For patients with diabetes and people having higher blood glucose
levels than normal even though diabetes has not yet occurred, a
number of medical device manufacturers provide a range of portable
blood glucose measuring devices such that blood glucose levels can
be measured at home.
Such a portable blood glucose measuring device is configured to
measure the blood glucose level of a blood sample by providing a
blood sample to be subjected to a blood glucose level test to a
sensor strip, inputting the sensor strip to a housing, and
inspecting the blood sample on the input sensor strip using a blood
glucose measuring module within the housing. Afterwards, the result
of the blood glucose measurement is displayed on a display device
disposed on the housing.
Since the blood glucose level of the blood sample varies depending
on the temperature at which the blood glucose level is measured,
the portable blood glucose measuring device is provided with a
temperature sensor for measuring the temperature. The portable
blood glucose measuring device is also configured to calculate a
blood glucose level by considering the temperature measured using
the temperature sensor.
However, in a typical portable blood glucose measuring device of
the related art, the temperature sensor is disposed within a
housing, so the temperature sensor measures the temperature of the
space within the housing. Since the space is isolated from the
outer space, the temperature of the space within the housing may
change very slowly over time, even in the case in which the
temperature of the outer space changes substantially. As a result,
the temperature measured by the temperature sensor may fail to
properly reflect an actual change in the temperature of the
surrounding environment. A blood glucose level calculated by
reflecting the temperature measured in this manner may exhibit a
result different from an actual blood glucose level.
For example, when a user who has performed an outdoor activity
measures a blood glucose level by operating a portable blood
glucose measuring device directly after entering an indoor
environment, the indoor temperature, i.e. the temperature of the
environment in which the blood glucose level is measured, may be a
relatively high temperature of, for example, 25.degree. C., but the
temperature of the space within the housing of the portable blood
glucose measuring device may remain at the outdoor temperature.
Thus, the temperature measured using the temperature sensor of the
blood glucose measuring device may be a relatively low temperature
of, for example, 0.degree. C. In this case, when the blood glucose
level is calculated by reflecting the temperature measured using
the temperature sensor, the temperature of 0.degree. C. different
from the actual temperature of 25.degree. C. of the environment of
the measurement may be reflected, whereby the blood glucose level
cannot be accurately obtained.
DISCLOSURE
Technical Problem
Accordingly, the present disclosure has been made in consideration
of the above problems occurring in the related art, and the present
disclosure proposes a portable blood glucose measuring device
including a temperature measuring medium disposed on a surface of a
housing thereof, the temperature of the temperature measuring
medium changing rapidly, depending on changes in the outside
temperature, and an infrared (IR) temperature sensor measuring the
temperature of the temperature measuring medium in a contactless
manner. The portable blood glucose measuring device can produce a
result of measurement of a blood glucose level by considering the
measured temperature of the temperature measuring medium, so that
the temperature outside of the environment in which blood glucose
is actually measured can be accurately reflected, thereby improving
the accuracy of the result of measurement of the blood glucose
level.
Also proposed is a portable blood glucose measuring device
including a temperature measuring medium configured to sensitively
react to the outside temperature independently of a housing, so
that the temperature of the temperature measuring medium rapidly
and accurately changes, depending on changes in the outside
temperature, thereby being able to more accurately measure the
temperature and obtain a more accurate result of measurement of a
blood glucose level.
Technical Solution
According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a portable blood
glucose measuring device may include: a housing having a strip
inlet allowing a sensor strip having a blood sample attached
thereto to be input into an inner space of the housing; a printed
circuit board disposed within the housing, wherein a blood glucose
measuring module able to measure a blood glucose level by
inspecting the blood sampled attached to the sensor strip is
disposed on the printed circuit board; a temperature measuring
medium disposed on the housing to be exposed externally; and an IR
temperature sensor disposed within the housing to measure a
temperature of the temperature measuring medium in a contactless
manner. The blood glucose measuring module produces a result of
measurement of the blood glucose level by considering the
temperature measured by the IR temperature sensor.
The temperature measuring medium may be made of a material having a
relatively small specific heat.
The temperature measuring medium may have the shape of a thin
plate.
The temperature measuring medium may include a plurality of
embossed protrusions formed on an externally exposed surface.
The housing may have a concave recess depressed in a direction of
the inner space thereof. A through-hole may be formed in a bottom
of the concave recess, allowing the temperature measuring medium to
fitted thereinto. The temperature measuring medium may be fitted
into the through-hole, such that the temperature measuring medium
does not protrude from a side surface of the housing.
A plurality of fixing protrusions may be formed on an inner
circumference of the through-hole to be spaced apart from each
other in a radial direction. The temperature measuring medium may
be fixedly held by the fixing protrusions.
The fixing protrusions may be formed of an insulating material.
Advantageous Effects
According to the present invention, the temperature measuring
medium is disposed on the surface of the housing thereof, the
temperature of the temperature measuring medium changing rapidly
depending on changes in the outside temperature, and the IR
temperature sensor measuring the temperature of the temperature
measuring medium in a contactless manner. The portable blood
glucose measuring device can produce a result of measurement of a
blood glucose level by considering the measured temperature of the
temperature measuring medium, so that the temperature outside of
the environment in which blood glucose is actually measured can be
accurately reflected, thereby improving the accuracy of the result
of measurement of the blood glucose level.
In addition, the temperature measuring medium is configured to
sensitively react to the outside temperature independently of the
housing, so that the temperature of the temperature measuring
medium rapidly and accurately changes depending on changes in the
outside temperature, thereby being able to more accurately measure
the temperature and obtain a more accurate result of measurement of
a blood glucose level.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the contour
of a portable blood glucose measuring device according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating
the internal structure of the portable blood glucose measuring
device according to the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 illustrates exemplary mounting structures of the portable
blood glucose measuring device according to embodiments of the
present invention, wherein temperature-measuring media are seated
in the mounting structures; and
FIG. 4 is cross-sectional views schematically illustrating the
internal structures of the portable blood glucose measuring device
according to embodiments of the present invention.
MODE FOR INVENTION
Hereinafter, reference will be made to the present invention in
detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying
drawings and described below. Throughout this document, reference
should be made to the drawings, in which the same reference
numerals and symbols will be used throughout to designate the same
or like components. In the following description, detailed
descriptions of known functions and components incorporated herein
will be omitted in the case that the subject matter of the present
disclosure may be rendered unclear thereby.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the contour
of a portable blood glucose measuring device according to an
embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded
perspective view schematically illustrating the internal structure
of the portable blood glucose measuring device according to the
embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 illustrates exemplary
mounting structures of the portable blood glucose measuring device
according to embodiments of the present invention, wherein
temperature-measuring media are seated in the mounting structures,
and FIG. 4 is cross-sectional views schematically illustrating the
internal structures of the portable blood glucose measuring device
according to embodiments of the present invention.
The portable blood glucose measuring device according to the
embodiment of the present invention is a device able to measure the
temperature of an actual measurement environment, thereby improving
the accuracy of the result of measurement of a blood glucose level.
The portable blood glucose measuring device includes a housing 100,
a printed circuit board (PCB) 300, a temperature measuring medium
600, and an infrared (IR) temperature sensor 500.
The housing 100 has an accommodation space defined therein. As
illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the housing 100 can be divided
into a top housing 110 and a bottom housing 120. The housing 100
has a strip inlet 150 in a side surface, through which a sensor
strip 200 can be input to the inner space of the housing 100. As
described above in the background art section, a blood sample T is
attached to the sensor strip 200. Then, the sensor strip 200 having
the blood sample T is input to the strip inlet 150. A control
button part 140 and a display part 130 are disposed on the top
surface of the housing 100. The control button part 140 allows a
user to operate the device, while the display part 130 displays the
measured blood glucose level of the blood sample T in a numerical
value.
The PCB 300 is disposed within the housing 100, and a blood glucose
measuring module 400 is disposed on the PCB 300. The blood glucose
measuring module 400 is configured to inspect the blood sample T on
the sensor strip 200 input through the strip inlet 150 to measure
the blood glucose level of the blood sample T. The blood glucose
measuring module 400 calculates the blood glucose level of the
blood sample T using a separate calculator and transmits the
calculated blood glucose level to the display part 130, so that the
blood glucose level is displayed on the display part 130. An
application method of calculating the blood glucose level by
inspecting the blood sample T is the same as the method of a
typical blood glucose measuring device, and a detailed description
thereof will be omitted.
The temperature measuring medium 600 functions as an object, the
temperature of which is to be measured by the IR temperature sensor
500 that will be described later. The temperature measuring medium
600 is disposed on the housing 100 such that the temperature
measuring medium 600 is exposed externally. For example, as
illustrated in FIG. 2, the temperature measuring medium 600 may be
disposed on the bottom surface of the bottom housing 120.
The IR temperature sensor 500 is disposed within the housing 100,
mounted on the PCB 300. The IR temperature sensor 500 is configured
to measure the temperature of the above-described temperature
measuring medium 600 in a contactless manner.
Thus, in the portable blood glucose measuring device according to
the embodiment of the present invention, the temperature measuring
medium 600 is disposed on the housing 100 to be exposed externally,
such that the temperature of the temperature measuring medium 600
changes rapidly depending on changes in the outside temperature. It
is possible to measure the temperature of the temperature measuring
medium 600 using the IR temperature sensor 500, thereby more
accurately measuring the actual temperature of the outer
environment.
Here, the blood glucose measuring module 400 produces the result of
measurement of a blood glucose level by considering the temperature
measured by the IR temperature sensor 500.
According to this structure, the portable blood glucose measuring
device according to the embodiment of the present invention can
more accurately measure the outside temperature using the
temperature measuring medium 600, the temperature of which rapidly
changes depending on the outside temperature, and the IR
temperature sensor 500 measuring the temperature of the temperature
measuring medium 600, and can produce the result of measurement of
a blood glucose level by considering the temperature that has been
more accurately measured in this manner, thereby improving the
accuracy of the result of measurement of the blood glucose
level.
More specifically, as described above in the background art
section, a conventional portable blood glucose measuring device
fails to appropriately reflect the actual temperature of the
surrounding environment, since the temperature of the enclosed
inner space is measured using the temperature sensor disposed
within the housing. In contrast, according to the present
invention, the separate temperature measuring medium 600 is
disposed to be exposed externally, such that the temperature
thereof rapidly changes depending on changes in the outside
temperature, and the IR temperature sensor 500 measures the
temperature of the temperature measuring medium 600. It is
therefore possible to more accurately measure the actual
temperature of the surrounding environment and produce the result
of measurement of a blood glucose level by reflecting the measured
temperature, thereby improving the accuracy of the result of
measurement.
Here, it is preferable that the temperature measuring medium 600 is
formed of a material that rapidly changes depending on changes in
the outside temperature. For example, the temperature measuring
medium 600 may be formed of a metal material having a relatively
small specific heat. The material having a small specific heat may
be aluminum, copper, or the like.
In addition, it is preferable that the temperature measuring medium
600 has a small volume such that the temperature thereof can easily
change. In this regard, as illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the
temperature measuring medium 600 may be provided in the shape of a
thin plate. It is preferable that the temperature measuring medium
600 has a large area to be in contact with the ambient air to
activate heat transfer to the ambient air. Although not shown, the
temperature measuring medium 600 may have a plurality of embossed
protrusions (not shown) on the externally exposed surface.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the temperature measuring medium 600 may
be disposed on the bottom surface of the housing 100 such that the
temperature measuring medium 600 is exposed externally. When the
temperature measuring medium 600 is exposed externally as described
above, the temperature measuring medium 600 may be brought into
contact with a hand of the user or an object, so that heat may be
transferred thereto from the hand or the object. Accordingly, it is
preferable that the temperature measuring medium 600 is disposed on
one surface of the housing 100 and has a concave shape, as
illustrated in FIG. 3.
In this regard, as illustrated in parts (a) of FIG. 3 and FIG. 4,
the housing 100 has a concave recess 121 formed on one surface
thereof, the concave recess 121 being depressed in the direction of
the inner space of the housing 100. A through-hole 122 is formed in
the bottom of the concave recess 121, such that the temperature
measuring medium 600 is fitted into the through-hole 122. The
temperature measuring medium 600 can be fitted into the
through-hole 122 of the concave recess 121 such that the
temperature measuring medium 600 does not protrude from the side
surface of the housing 100.
Here, a plurality of fixing protrusions 123 are formed on the inner
circumference of the through-hole 122 to be spaced apart from each
other in the radial direction, such that heat transfer between the
temperature measuring medium 600 and the housing 100 can be
minimized. The temperature measuring medium 600 may be fixedly held
by the fixing protrusions 123.
With this configuration, the temperature measuring medium 600 and
the housing 100 are in contact with each other such that a limited
heat contact area is defined therebetween. Accordingly, the low
thermal conductivity between the temperature measuring medium 600
and the housing 100 may further facilitate a temperature change due
to a change in the outside temperature. In addition, the fixing
protrusions 123 may be formed of an insulating material to prevent
thermal contact between the temperature measuring medium 600 and
the housing 100.
In addition, as illustrated in parts (b) of FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, a
through-hole 124 is formed in one surface of the housing 100.
Separate fixing rods 125 are disposed on the inner circumference of
the through-hole 124 to be inclined downward in the direction of
the inner space of the housing 100. The temperature measuring
medium 600 may be configured to be fixedly held by the fixing rods
125. Here, the fixing rods 125 may be formed of an insulating
material.
The temperature measuring medium 600 may be formed in a variety of
other ways to minimize contact with the housing 100. Due to these
structures, the temperature of the temperature measuring medium 600
may change by more sensitively reacting with the outside
temperature independently of the housing 100. It is possible to
more accurately measure the temperature of the surrounding
environment by measuring the temperature of the temperature
measuring medium 600 using the IR temperature sensor 500. Since a
blood glucose level is measured in consideration of the temperature
of the surrounding environment, a more accurate result can be
obtained in the measurement of the blood glucose level.
The foregoing descriptions have been presented in order to
illustrate the certain principles of the present invention. A
person skilled in the art to which the invention relates could make
many modifications and variations without departing from the
principle of the invention. The foregoing embodiments disclosed
herein shall be interpreted as illustrative only but not as
limitative of the principle and scope of the disclosure. It should
be understood that the scope of the invention shall be defined by
the appended Claims and all of their equivalents fall within the
scope of the disclosure.
* * * * *